Quantum dots (QDs) can exhibit relatively narrow photoluminescence (PL) linewidths. However, often QDs have multiply-degenerate bandedge states where the energetic separation between these degenerate states is comparable to the thermal energy at room temperature. Excitons can therefore distribute over these multiple degenerate states, thereby decreasing the state filling of any one given state and broadening the PL linewidth even in the absence of significant inhomogeneity among an ensemble of the QDs.